purse
Also called change purse [cheynj-purs] /ˈtʃeɪndʒ ˌpɜrs/ . a small bag, pouch, or case for carrying money.
anything resembling a purse in appearance, use, etc.
a sum of money offered as a prize or reward.
a sum of money collected as a present or the like.
money, resources, or wealth.
to contract into folds or wrinkles; pucker: to purse one's lips.
to put into a purse.
Origin of purse
1Other words from purse
- purse·less, adjective
- purse·like, adjective
Words that may be confused with purse
- briefcase, handbag, pocketbook, purse , valise, wallet
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use purse in a sentence
He created an effigy of a double-faced model of Benedict Arnold in a carriage, dressed in a red coat and holding a letter to Beelzebub with the devil standing behind him shaking a purse full of money.
When Science Was the Best Show in America - Issue 93: Forerunners | Lee Alan Dugatkin | November 18, 2020 | NautilusThe court filing shows several examples of these items, which included wallets, purses, belts and sunglasses, which were designer dupes of brands like Gucci and Dior.
Amazon sues online influencers engaged in a counterfeit scheme | Sarah Perez | November 12, 2020 | TechCrunchA purse was stolen from a vehicle entered by breaking a window.
I am sure the waitstaff does not want to collect them, yet I really don't want them back in my purse, either.
Miss Manners: My lovely wife seems irritated now that we’re together constantly | Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin | October 30, 2020 | Washington PostRumpl's new Featherlite Puffy packs down small enough to fit into a purse or a small backpack, weighs one pound, and will keep your legs warmer than any pair of dayglow shell trousers.
How to Layer for Outdoor Dining This Fall and Winter | Wes Siler | October 14, 2020 | Outside Online
Who was this girl with the pursed lips, perfect eyebrows, and a dry nosebleed?
His black hair sweeps back from the crest of his high forehead and laps at the nape of his neck; his lips are pursed.
Meet Alexandre Desplat, Hollywood’s Master Composer | Andrew Romano | February 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFriends saw the danger signs—the pursed lips, the extra quick blink of the eye.
Juiciest Bits From Robert Lacey’s Royal Biography ‘The Queen’ | Tom Sykes | May 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTPursed-lipped shows of affection or canned admiration get you labeled insincere.
Billy Towler pursed his little red lips as he nodded his small head and winked one of his large blue eyes.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. BallantyneHe had a roundish face, a little fleshy under the chin, a soft-lipped mouth that from habit he held slightly pursed, muddy eyes.
As she sat up, her face level with mine, she pursed her lips, and I gave her a hearty smack.
Valley of the Croen | Lee TarbellShe gave it up to him, passively, but when he offered her his arm, merely shook her head and pursed up her lips.
Tales and Fantasies | Robert Louis StevensonHis pursed up mouth made it clear that he was not a handsome man—the lower lip was heavy, somewhat protuberant.
The Winning Clue | James Hay, Jr.
British Dictionary definitions for purse
/ (pɜːs) /
a small bag or pouch, often made of soft leather, for carrying money, esp coins
US and Canadian a woman's handbag
anything resembling a small bag or pouch in form or function
wealth; funds
a sum of money that is offered, esp as a prize
(tr) to contract (the mouth, lips, etc) into a small rounded shape
Origin of purse
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with purse
In addition to the idiom beginning with purse
- purse strings
also see:
- can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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